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Hauppauge, NY, June 26, 2008 -- American Superconductor Corp. (AMSC), Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) celebrated the commissioning of the world's first high temperature superconductor (HTS) power transmission cable system in a commercial power grid. The 138,000 volt (138 kV) system, which consists of three individual HTS power cable phases running in parallel, was energized on April 22, 2008 and is operating successfully in LIPA's Holbrook transmission right of way. A ceremony was held to commemorate the completion of the first phase and kick off the second phase of the project.
"We view superconductor power cables as an important option in our technology portfolio that will help us further enhance the reliability of our grid as we meet our customers' increasing demands for electric power," said LIPA president and CEO Kevin Law.
The HTS cable system installed in LIPA's power grid contains hair-thin, ribbon-shaped HTS wires that conduct 150 times the electricity of similar sized copper wires. This power density advantage enables transmission-voltage HTS cables to utilize far less wire and yet conduct up to five times more power -- in a smaller right of way -- than traditional copper-based cables. When operated at full capacity, the HTS cable system is capable of transmitting up to 574 megawatts (MW) of electricity.
LIPA's installation includes three phases connected through six outdoor terminations. It was designed, manufactured and installed by Nexans. The cable cores utilize HTS wires produced by AMSC, which also is the prime contractor for the project. The liquid nitrogen refrigeration system was manufactured by Air Liquide. Three 2,000-foot-long vacuum-insulated flexible cryostats provide high-quality thermal insulation maintaining the cable cores at cryogenic temperature.
The DOE previously funded $27.5 million of the $58.5 million total project cost. The DOE envisions HTS power cables as a component of a modern electricity superhighway.
AMSC is also leading the development of an extension of LIPA's HTS cable system. The new project calls for the replacement of one of the existing HTS cable system's phases with a 600-meter-long cable made with AMSC's proprietary 344 superconductors, the company's brand name for what is generically known as second generation, or "2G" HTS wire. The cable system will also incorporate Secure Super Grids technology.
Secure Super Grids is a system-level solution that utilizes customized 2G HTS wires, HTS power cables and ancillary controls to deliver more power through the grid and suppress power surges that can disrupt service. AMSC is leading a separate, parallel project to demonstrate and deploy the first distribution-voltage (13kV) Secure Super Grid solution in the power network of Consolidated Edison in midtown Manhattan.
Secure Super Grids utilize multiple paths for electricity flow in metropolitan power grids to ensure system reliability when individual circuits are disrupted due to severe weather, traffic accidents or willful destruction. In addition, they utilize the special properties of AMSC's 344 superconductors to not only relieve grid congestion, but also suppress power surges that often damage utility equipment and disrupt customer service.
In addition to being the manager for this turnkey project, AMSC will supply approximately 60,000 meters of its second generation HTS wire known as "344 superconductors," needed to manufacture the power cable. As was the case in the original LIPA cable project, AMSC has chosen Nexans as the cable manufacturer and Air Liquide as the provider of the cryogenics system. Apart from being the world's first transmission-voltage cable system powered by 2G HTS wire, AMSC and its project partners will be developing new repairable cryostat and cable joining technology and a low-cost, reliable and efficient refrigeration system.
The DOE, through its National Energy Technology Laboratory, is expected to provide AMSC with $4 million in federal funding through completion of its first project budget period, expected to end in September 2008. Upon successful completion of key project milestones and sustained execution of a viable business strategy, as much as $5 million in additional DOE funding may be made available for continued implementation of this two-and-a-half-year project through March 2010, subject to availability of funds appropriated by the U.S. Congress.
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